April 4, 2026
Denver Nuggets guard/forward
Bruce Brown (leg) didn't finish Saturday's overtime victory against the San Antonio Spurs, Katy Winge of Altitude Sports reports. Brown appeared to injure his left lower leg in the third quarter and went to the locker room. Because he wasn't able to participate in a jump ball situation, Brown was ineligible to re-enter the game despite returning to the Nuggets' bench. Luckily, the veteran appears to have avoided a significant injury. He plays a big role off the bench in Denver, averaging 24.5 minutes per game. If Brown suffers a setback and needs to take some time off next week,
Julian Strawther is poised to have a bigger role, especially with
Peyton Watson (hamstring) and
Spencer Jones (hamstring) already out.
--Taavi PailkSource: Katy Winge
April 4, 2026
The Cleveland Browns have publicly praised quarterback
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) this offseason, but The Athletic's Zac Jackson said he feels "stronger than ever" that
Shedeur Sanders, not Watson, is the "favorite to win the starting job." Sanders wasn't Cleveland's first choice in 2025 and might not be their first choice for the future, either, but giving him every chance to win the job and to make real progress is "clearly the best option right now." The 24-year-old fifth-rounder is signed for three more seasons, and Jackson thinks that the best path to escaping the Watson mess is to let Sanders take the job and provide "at least league-average QB play." There will be a true competition between Sanders and Watson in training camp this summer after Sanders was highly inconsistent in his rookie season in 2025, throwing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in eight games (seven starts). The former Colorado star has been working on getting stronger this offseason and is the Browns' "best option" at the position. Fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues looking for help at QB might want to consider buying low on Sanders.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
April 4, 2026
Seattle Mariners infielder
Brendan Donovan (leg) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Donovan is being held out of this game after exiting Friday's contest due to leg discomfort. The Mariners haven't given a clear timetable on Donovan's return, but hopefully it'll be a short absence. While he's out,
Luke Raley will take over in the leadoff spot, while
Leo Rivas covers third base against right-hander
Jack Kochanowicz on Saturday. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of first pitch on Sunday for another update on Donovan.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 4, 2026
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (forearm) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. This doesn't come as a shock after Buxton exited early during Friday's game after getting hit by a pitch on the forearm. The X-rays came back negative, but the Twins are going to play it safe with Buxton. Twins' manager Derek Shelton believes that Buxton will be back in the starting lineup within the next few days. On Saturday,
James Outman will patrol center field and bat ninth versus left-hander
Steven Matz. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Sunday for another update on Buxton.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
April 4, 2026
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that the money that the Las Vegas Raiders gave veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins indicates that he "could or maybe should end up being the starting QB" to begin the 2026 regular season. Somehow, Cousins will be guaranteed $20 million in 2026, with almost half of the money being paid by the Atlanta Falcons, who released the 37-year-old at the start of the new league year. Even though the Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB
Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick at the end of April, Cousins is expected to be the team's Week 1 starter as they let Mendoza sit and learn early on in his first year in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler played in 24 games (22 starts) in his two years in Atlanta and completed 65% of his passes for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. At best, he'll be a low-end QB2 option for those in superflex fantasy leagues in 2026, and his run as Vegas' starter could be short-lived, depending on his performance and Mendoza's development.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
April 4, 2026
Los Angeles Lakers guard
Austin Reaves (oblique) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, meaning he is out for the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season. The Lakers announced on Saturday that Reaves has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury. His injury is a cruel blow for the Lakers, who just lost
Luka Doncic (hamstring). With the team's two top scorers out of the lineup, Lakers head coach JJ Redick plans to build the offense around
LeBron James,
Luke Kennard,
Rui Hachimura, and
Deandre Ayton. Meanwhile,
Bronny James Jr. and
Kobe Bufkin could begin to receive steady minutes in the backcourt.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
April 4, 2026
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed defensive end Travon Walker to a four-year, $100 million contract extension on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $77 million guaranteed and $50 million fully guaranteed at signing. The 25-year-old is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2026 after racking up 200 tackles (101 solo), 27.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, 57 QB hits, one interception, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 63 games (60 starts). Walker had back-to-back 10-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 before totaling just 3.5 sacks last year in 14 games (12 starts). The Jaguars are hoping that the former first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Georgia can bounce back in the sack department in 2026 in his fifth year in the league after his big extension.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
April 4, 2026
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Lardis (hand) is expected to play on Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken. It was initially unclear whether he would be healthy enough for the contest after injuring his left hand late in Thursday's loss to Edmonton. Lardis skated on the first line Saturday morning and will be part of the second power-play unit. The 20-year-old has recently been hot in front of goal, scoring in four of his last seven outings. He boasts nine goals and 14 points in 35 games for the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
April 4, 2026
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Garrett Mitchell was the team's offense in a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with a home run, five RBI, and two strikeouts. Mitchell had a two-run double in the first inning and a three-run homer in the third inning to drive in all of the team's runs. The former UCLA star is off to a fine start in 2026, going 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run, 10 RBI, and three stolen bases. The 27-year-old has always had tantalizing power/speed upside after Milwaukee took him with the 20th overall pick in 2020, but he has never been able to reach his true potential due to injuries. Mitchell made his MLB debut in 2022 but has never played in more than 69 games in his four seasons. If he can stay healthy in 2026, fantasy managers would be sitting pretty. In 146 regular-season games, Mitchell has hit .336/.431/.766 with 13 homers, 45 RBI, and 26 stolen bases in 461 plate appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (lower body) is unavailable on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings, David Alter of The Hockey News reports. The veteran rearguard suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's loss to San Jose. Toronto has bolstered its blue line by calling up William Villeneuve from the minors, but he will be in the press box on Saturday. Troy Stecher will replace Ekman-Larsson in the lineup. Having gone without a point in 22 of his last 25 appearances, Stecher holds virtually no fantasy value. He has collected 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 59 games across the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: David Alter
April 4, 2026
The game on Saturday between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field has been postponed due to inclement weather, according to Taylr McGregor of Watch Marquee Sports. Fantasy managers need to remove any players from these two teams if they were in your daily starting lineups. The contest will be made up on Sunday as part of a traditional doubleheader in Cleveland. Left-hander
Shota Imanaga was scheduled to make the start on Saturday versus Cleveland for the Cubbies, and he was going to be opposed by right-hander
Slade Cecconi. Expect both starting pitchers to take their turn in the rotation in one of the two games on Sunday.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop
Mookie Betts (back) left Saturday's game early against the Washington Nationals in the first inning with right lower-back pain, according to the team. Betts walked and scored in the first inning before being replaced on defense in the bottom of the first inning in D.C. It's unclear how serious of an injury this is for Betts, so until we have further details, fantasy managers should consider him to be day-to-day. Expect the Dodgers to send Betts in for tests on his back. Veteran
Miguel Rojas took over for Betts on Saturday at shortstop and would likely see most of the starts at the position for the Blue going forward if it's an injury that keeps Betts out for an extended period of time. The 33-year-old eight-time All-Star and former MVP was off to a slow start offensively going into Saturday's game, hitting .179 (5-for-28) with two home runs and seven RBI in the first seven games of the 2026 season. Hopefully, this is nothing serious for Betts, but even if it's minor, fantasy managers should probably expect him to sit out Sunday's series finale against the Nats.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
April 4, 2026
Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper body) is week-to-week. After sustaining an upper-body injury in Thursday's win over Buffalo, Kleven didn't play in Saturday's matchup with Minnesota. Since he is considered week-to-week, Kleven might not return for the rest of the regular season. Kleven has tallied 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 70 appearances, while having 95 blocks and 126 hits. Luckily for the Senators, they got Jake Sanderson back from an upper-body injury on Saturday. He will lead the blue line moving forward alongside Jordan Spence and Artem Zub.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
April 4, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Mason Marchment (undisclosed) is on track to return to action on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. He is dealing with an unspecified health issue and couldn't play in Thursday's game against Carolina. However, Marchment skated on the first line and worked with the first power-play unit during the morning skate, which strongly indicates that he is ready to return on Saturday. The 30-year-old has been a great addition to the Blue Jackets, registering 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 33 games. He has finished both of his last two appearances with multiple points.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
April 4, 2026
Washington Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas (upper body) will rejoin the lineup on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He has sat out a pair of games due to an upper-body injury. Protas will be reunited with Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin on Washington's top line. The Belarusian forward has been a versatile contributor on offense, recording 23 goals and 24 assists in 70 games. That said, Protas' recent form hasn't been good, as he has finished four consecutive appearances without a point for only the third time this season. Washington's front line will also have Ethen Frank back on Saturday after he missed some time due to a lower-body injury.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
April 4, 2026
Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (undisclosed) will miss Saturday's matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights and is looking at a multi-game absence. According to Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch, Hyman could miss up to two weeks. However, Knoblauch added that if this were a playoff game, Hyman would be out there, which suggests he isn't dealing with a serious injury. The veteran forward is third on his team with 31 goals and has accumulated 51 points in 57 games. With Hyman out, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to join the first line on Saturday night, while Jason Dickinson will take over the second-line center duties.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
April 4, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (upper body) had surgery on Thursday and will miss the rest of the season. He suffered an upper-body injury on a hit from Montreal Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc on March 26. This is an unfortunate blow for Severson and his team. He had a good campaign in 2025-26, finishing with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists), 93 SOG, 86 blocks, and a plus-18 rating in 71 games. Denton Mateychuk has taken on a much larger role since Severon landed on the shelf, while Jake Christiansen has become a regular in the lineup.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
April 4, 2026
Detroit Pistons center
Jalen Duren (illness) has been added to the injury report ahead of Saturday's matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. He has been listed as questionable due to illness. Duren could be out for the second time in four games. Filling in for Duren in the starting lineup on Monday against Oklahoma City,
Paul Reed had a big game with 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, four blocks, and one steal. He should be eager to shine against his former team as well on Saturday. If Duren isn't available,
Tolu Smith will also move up on the depth chart.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward
Paul George (knee) is listed as probable for Saturday's tilt against the Detroit Pistons. The veteran star appears to be prepared to play for a second consecutive night. George finished Friday's 115-103 win over Minnesota with 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, one block, and four steals. He's been in impressive form since returning from his suspension late last month and will be in a favorable situation on Saturday night.
Joel Embiid's (oblique, illness) absence will give George more offensive opportunities against a weakened, injury-ridden Detroit team.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Miami Heat guard
Tyler Herro (personal) will sit out Saturday's contest against the Washington Wizards. Herro was initially expected to play after being cleared from a foot issue, but he will miss the contest for personal reasons.
Simone Fontecchio will fill in for him in the starting lineup. The Italian forward has produced 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in seven starts this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Miami Heat
April 4, 2026
Philadelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid (oblique, illness) won't play on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons. Embiid helped the 76ers defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, and it was always unlikely that he would play in both legs of a back-to-back. Backup big men
Andre Drummond and
Adem Bona logged only 15 combined minutes behind Embiid on Friday and will be much more involved against Detroit. They might face a Pistons frontcourt missing
Jalen Duren (illness), making it an appealing matchup for the duo.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Seahawks running back
George Holani has handled 25 career carries since joining Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and yet he was a popular dynasty waiver add in the early offseason. Super Bowl MVP
Kenneth Walker III left for Kansas City in the opening hours of free agency, and
Zach Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in a Divisional Round playoff win, is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, which briefly left Holani and 2023 seventh-round pick
Kenny McIntosh as the healthiest options at the top of the depth chart. Seattle has since signed former Packer
Emanuel Wilson to a modest one-year deal, and the team is expected to address the position early in the NFL Draft. The Seahawks have already met with Washington's Jonah Coleman on a local visit and will reportedly host Arkansas'
Mike Washington Jr. on a 30-visit in the coming weeks. Whoever Seattle targets with early draft capital will likely rise to the RB2 spot behind
Jeremiyah Love in most rookie drafts, while Holani's dynasty value could settle outside the top-100 at the position after a sudden offseason spike.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Washington Wizards forward
Justin Champagnie (knee) is available on Saturday against the Miami Heat. He has been upgraded from a questionable status. Champagnie will come off the bench on Saturday but should still see a healthy amount of minutes. He has averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over the last three games, making him a sneaky option for fantasy managers. However, there's a significant risk involved with every Wizards player, as their minutes tend to fluctuate.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Washington Wizards guard/forward
Bilal Coulibaly (heel) and guard/forward
Tre Johnson (foot) will suit up on Saturday against the Miami Heat. It was initially unclear whether they would play after the team listed them as questionable on the injury report. The two will start the contest alongside
Bub Carrington,
Will Riley, and
Anthony Gill. Due to his versatility, Coulibaly has more fantasy value compared to Johnson, but he needs to stay on the floor to meet fantasy expectations. On Wednesday night, Coulibaly logged just 19 minutes against Philadelphia, finishing with 12 points, two rebounds, and one steal.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft after an unfathomably productive college career at Bowling Green, and in his rookie season with Cleveland, it was more of the same. His 72 receptions on 103 targets ranked second among all rookies and eighth among NFL tight ends. A case could be made that Fannin benefited from one of the weakest wide receiver cores in the league, with
Jerry Jeudy the only other Cleveland player to top 35 catches or 50 targets. The Browns are expected to return the same quarterback room from 2025, with hopes hinging on either a meaningful second-year leap from
Shedeur Sanders or a return to form from
Deshaun Watson, now five years removed from his last impactful season. Additionally, the team holds the sixth pick in the NFL Draft and is expected to spend early capital on the wide receiver position. That said, Fannin finished his rookie season as the TE6 in half-PPR formats, behind two 30+ year olds in
Travis Kelce and
Dallas Goedert, as well as
Kyle Pitts, whose TE2 finish was propped up by the single most productive game by a tight end in NFL history. Fannin is RotoBaller's TE6 in dynasty rankings, but could easily crack the top five if the Browns are unable to add significant target competition through the draft.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
April 4, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect
Konnor Griffin is starting at the 6 and will hit sixth in his second major-league game on Saturday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander
Shane Baz, according to MLB.com. In his MLB debut in Pittsburgh's 5-4 win over Baltimore on Friday, Griffin was batting out of the seventh spot in the lineup, and he went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, run scored, walk, and a strikeout. The 19-year-old phenom will be bumped up one spot in the batting order in his second career game, and he could quickly be moved to the top third of the order if he plays well in the early going in 2026. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 didn't look like a first-year pro in 2025 in three minor-league stops, hitting a combined .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs scored, and 65 stolen bases in 122 games played. Griffin can do it all for fantasy managers and needs to be rostered in all formats now that he's in the big leagues to stay.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Washington Wizards center
Alexandre Sarr (toe) and forward/center
Tristan Vukcevic (knee) won't be in action on Saturday against the Miami Heat. Washington listed both players as questionable on the initial injury report and has ruled them out ahead of tip-off. Sarr will miss his fourth consecutive game. Vukcevic will join the Frenchman on the sidelines after filling in for him as the starting center. On Saturday,
Anthony Gill will start at center. Gill will be an interesting fantasy option after amassing 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists in Wednesday's loss to Philadelphia.
Julian Reese will likely also return to the rotation.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
Athletics first baseman
Nick Kurtz is back in the leadoff spot on Saturday against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander
Tatsuya Imai, according to MLB.com. It's the fifth time in the team's first seven games that Kurtz has hit leadoff. It's a curious lineup positioning for the left-handed slugger, who is an elite source of power for fantasy managers in his first full major-league season. It will also be interesting to see how long manager Mark Kotsay sticks with Kurtz in the top spot in the batting order if he continues to struggle at the plate early on in 2026. Through his first six games, Kurtz has gone 1-for-21 (.048) with no homers, no RBI, three runs scored, five walks, and 13 strikeouts in 26 plate appearances. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about Kurtz's slow start just yet. The former Wake Forest star was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2025, when he slashed an impressive .290/.383/.619 with a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, and 86 RBI in just 117 games played for the A's.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
April 4, 2026
Denver Nuggets guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. (knee) will be active against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. He was listed as probable on the initial injury report after Hardaway Jr. couldn't finish Wednesday's win over Utah due to a knee issue. With
Spencer Jones (hamstring) and
Peyton Watson (hamstring) unavailable, Hardaway Jr. may pick up a few extra minutes in the rotation. The veteran has averaged 13.7 points in 26.7 minutes per game this season, sinking 41.0 percent of his three-pointers.
--Taavi PailkSource: NBA Injury Report
April 4, 2026
With the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver room among the league's most ambiguous offensive units, it's easy to forget that it was tight end
Brenton Strange who finished third on the team in both receptions and receiving yards despite missing five games in 2025. A case could be made for any of
Jakobi Meyers,
Brian Thomas Jr.,
Parker Washington, or
Travis Hunter to be the Jaguars WR1 heading into 2026, but a similar case could also be made that one of those players might not be on the roster by training camp, and another could be playing defense. While gameplans and opponents could drastically affect how Jacksonville deploys its wide receivers, Strange might be locked into the safest role of any of the team's pass catchers, and with
Travis Etienne Jr. vacating almost 50 targets from last season, a good share of that work could go the tight end who saw nearly 78% of his targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
--Patrick McGrathSource: RotoBaller
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